Abstract
Multilocus DNA sequence-based identification methods raised the number of known species assigned to the Aspergillus section Versicolores. Currently, there are 16 species accepted in the section, including A. amoenus, A. austroafricanus, A. creber, A. cvjetkovicii, A. fructus, A. griseoaurantiacus, A. hongkongensis, A. jensenii, A. protuberus, A. puulaauensis, A. subversicolor, A. sydowii, A. tabacinus, A. tennesseensis, A. venenatus, and A. versicolor. Based on morphological identifications, most of these species were identified as either A. sydowii or A. versicolor, with the latter reported to have a world-wide distribution, growing in many habitats. Aspergillus versicolor has been implicated in health hazards including sick building syndrome, human and animal mycoses, and contamination of food and feed were assigned primarily to this species. A. versicolor is still commonly isolated from indoor surveys, even though species such as A. jensenii and A. creber seem more common. From indoor air samples collected at a grain mill in Croatia, we isolated an undescribed species assigned to the Aspergillus section Versicolores. A polyphasic approach, including sequence-based methods, morphological and physiological studies, was used for species characterization and in this paper is described as Aspergillus pepii. Additionally, sterigmatocystin producing abilities have been confirmed. Based on a combined phylogenetic tree, morphological features and sterigmatocystin producing abilities, A. pepii is closely related to A. versicolor. Further studies should explore the frequency of the species in indoor environments and its medical, industrial, and environmental significance.
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Acknowledgments
This study is connected to the project GINOP-2.3.2-15-C113410 and GINOP-2.3.3-15-2016-00006, supported by the European Union and co-financed by the European Social Fund. This work was also supported by OTKA grant no. K115690 as well as University of Zagreb grant no. 1126.
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Jakšić Despot, D., Kocsubé, S., Bencsik, O. et al. New sterigmatocystin-producing species of Aspergillus section Versicolores from indoor air in Croatia. Mycol Progress 16, 63–72 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-016-1250-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-016-1250-4